Abstract:
Abstract
Livelihood of Ethiopian farmers’ is most severely affected by natural and man-made
farmland degradation problem. The main objective of this study is to assess the effects of
farmland degradation on the livelihood of rural communities in Loma woreda, Dawuro zone,
South Ethiopia. Combination of both purposively and random sampling techniques were used
to select study Woreda, Kebele and HHs. Data were collected from three agro-ecological
zone representative kebeles, namely Fulassa-Borthe, Dissa-qera and Yello-Worbati, totally
132 households, 21 FGD participants and 18 key informants were participated. The
instruments used for data collection were questionnaires, interview, focus group discussions,
and observation. Data obtained from questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive
statistics such as mean, standard deviation, percentage, frequency and inferential statistics,
like one way ANOVA and chi-square test with the help of SPSS version 20. In addition,
multinomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the determinants of livelihood
strategy. Landsat image, GIS and RS were also used to analyze LULC change. The result
from satellite image interpretation indicated an increase in farmland and water body and
increase in shrub/grassland and forestland. The result showed that the area before 18 year
was low problem. The recent data shows over cultivated land, with very low crope product
and productivity due to farmland degradation. The main factor is land management problem,
and it final output was economical shortage in the community. Besides, the multinomial
logistic regression model analysis showed that, the rural livelihood strategy determined by
Livestock, lack of diversified income, Input use, Contact with DAs, Sex, Land holding size
Family size, Age and Education were statistically significant explanatory variables in rural
livelihood strategy. To cope up the problem, about 47.67% farmers developed strategies, like
AG+ non-farming, AG+ off-farming and the combination of three (AG only, AG+non-
farming and AG +off-farming) livelihood choice than agriculture only. In order to alleviate
the FLD problems and to increase productive capacity of farmland local government, NGOs
and study area community should work jointly to change degraded farmland use wisely
without compromising the next generation.
